Well, used to be.

Freedom.

People the world over have yearned for it.

People from all countries.

“If we could get to America, then we could be free.”

It takes a certain goodness, a certain moral character to make such a system work.

One finds that freedom, while offering unlimited opportunities for life, doesn’t protect you from difficulty.

When I became a man, I put away childish things.

I left my mother and father, and ventured into a world where I had to learn to survive, learn to cope with trials, learn how to do without, learn how to put someone else before me.

Learn how to fail.

Learn how to get up after failure.

Learn about the strength gained from going through difficult trials.

I learned that freedom offered great opportunity.

But success was not guaranteed.

Neither was safety.

Things could happen that could burst that balloon, and send it crashing down.

“Wait, that is not fair!” (Whiny voice)

“Somebody needs to take care of me through this. Somebody needs to make sure that this can’t happen.”(Crying voice)

“The government should protect us from….”(Fill in the blank: sickness, poverty, Christians, greed, lack, laziness, failure, people that have something I don’t, opportunities that somebody else got but I didn’t,….)

“I want my mommy and daddy! This is soooo hard!”

Government says, “Yes, we will take care of you. Trust us. We will make you safe. We will make sure that everybody is happy. We know what is best for you. We will even keep you from having to get your feelings hurt.”

“They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever (or whoever) controls you.” 2 Peter 2:19

We gave up the idea that we have to be brave, in order to be free.

So, do you want to be safe?

Or, do you want to be free?

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13